(a)(1) For each determination to pay a relocation incentive under this subpart, an agency must document in writing—

(i) The basis for determining that a position is likely to be difficult to fill as determined under § 575.206;

(ii) The basis for authorizing a relocation incentive for an employee;

(iii) The basis for the amount and timing of the approved relocation incentive payments and the length of the required service period; and

(iv) That the worksite of the employee's new position is not in the same geographic area as the worksite of the position held immediately before the move (or that a waiver was approved under § 575.205(b)) and that the employee established a residence in the new geographic area, as required by § 575.205(b).

(2) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, the agency must make each determination to pay a relocation incentive on a case-by-case basis for each employee.

(3) The agency must make the determination to pay a relocation incentive before the employee enters on duty in the position to which relocated.

(b)(1) An agency may waive the case-by-case approval requirement under paragraph (a) of this section when—

(i) The employee is a member of a group of employees subject to a mobility agreement and the agency determines that relocation incentives are necessary to retain employees subject to such an agreement to ensure continuation of operations; or

(ii) A major organizational unit of the agency is relocated to a new duty station and the agency determines that relocation incentives are necessary for a group of employees to ensure the continued operation of that unit without undue disruption of an activity or function that is deemed essential to the agency's mission or without undue disruption of service to the public.

(2) The written determination under paragraph (a) of this section must specify the group of employees covered by the case-by-case waiver, the conditions under which the waiver is approved, and the period of time for which the waiver may be applied.